It’s no secret that both the fans of the first game (Sands of Time) and fans of the follow-up (Warrior Within) had very different opinions about what they wanted in this final installment. The development team have an overall plan for the trilogy, with Warrior Within giving the Prince some neccesary moments of character development to strengthen his resolve for a final adventure in The Two Thrones. Players of the first two games are going to find that The Two Thrones ends the Sands of Time story in a very satisfying way, whilst offering an amalgam of the previous two games.
Careful attention has been paid in including elements that SOT fans wanted to see return (the Prince’s internal monologue, a narration, Farah, an emphasis on acrobatics and puzzles) whilst Warrior Within fans will get an even more intense combat experience and some delightfully nasty new abilites via the Dark Prince. The speed kill system is a nice touch in that it actually transforms a great deal of the combat situations into puzzles themselves, which should come as a relief to those that felt alienated by the combo-heavy WW. Two princes, two love interests, two combat systems…there’s two of everything in this one.
As the Prince comes to a compromise with his combat-loving alter ego, we hope that all the POP fans will come to appreciate the elements of the entire trilogy. There are a lot of story elements we haven’t revealed yet to the fans but, when we do, they’ll be blown away.
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones: GOTY contender?
2. Prince of Persia revelations marks the first appearance of the Prince of Persia series on the PSP. Is the game just a port of Prince of Persia Warrior Within or have there been enhancements?
Whilst Revelations is definitely Warrior Within at its core, there have been some changes made to the game. Some of this was due to feedback from gamers about specific areas in the original game, whilst others were development driven. The team have tweaked some areas where they felt it could have been a tighter game, as well as making some content additions. So some of the maps will feel familiar to WW fans, but they’ll enter a room and realise they’ve never seen this place before. Will a walkthrough for WW help you with Revelations? Some of it will, and some of it won’t at all.
3. GripShift and Frantix are two completely new properties developed exclusively for the PSP and have also received a budget price point in Australia. Is there a reason these titles retail for a lower price point?
Since the launch of the PSP, these two titles are probably the best products in our upcoming line-up to appeal to the casual customer. Whilst we have titles like POP: Revelations that will appeal to the regular gamer, someone looking for a more pick up and play experience will really enjoy Gripshift and Frantix. A lower price point means a point of difference at retail, and these two titles deserve to be noticed. From my own experiences with PSP, situations like commuting are the best times to use your PSP. These two SOE games are great for that quick “just one more go” fix.
Gripshift, one of the biggest PSP exclusive games of this year
4. Battles of Prince of Persia will be an exclusively new Prince of Persia title for the Nintendo DS. Is there a reason that an entirely new game is being developed rather than a remake of an existing Prince of Persia title?
Ubisoft had toyed with the idea of filling in the gap in the Prince’s backstory in a separate game. We know that years have passed between the end of SOT and WW. In telling what happened in the missing years, that left the Prince the tortured man we meet at the beginning of WW, it's a story about the Prince becoming a man. Throughout WW there are a few flashbacks to battles between Persia and its enemies. Many of these threads are picked up in battles.
As the idea for this story grew into an epic about armies, generals and full-scale wars it became apparent that the story couldn’t be told in the regular style of a POP game. Once the decision was made for it to become a strategy game, the DS became an obvious format for this. We have two screens that can display the battlefield and unit statistics simultaneously, the ability to select and move units with a stylus, and a user base that embraces something different. Whilst being a handheld title, it gives a greater depth to the entire POP universe.
5. Ghost Recon 3 looks like it is going to be one of the most promising titles for the XBOX 360. Is there a chance we will see the game at the launch of the console in March?
While we have yet to set a firm date for Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter outside of the enigmatic ‘Q1 2006’, the development is on track to coincide with the Aussie 360 launch. Now that the March 2nd date is set for the console, things are looking good for GRAW to be in that launch line-up.
Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter; Here for the X360 launch?
6. Is there a chance that we will see Ghost Recon 3 on any current generation consoles?
GRAW is also in development for PC and Xbox, planned for a simultaneous release with the 360 version.
7. Beyond Frantix and Grip Shift what are the titles we will be seeing for the PSP in the future?
The next round of PSP titles from Ubisoft will include the first games to tackle our core franchises. Field Commander and Untold Legends II from SOE are going to be of the same high quality we’ve seen from them so far. From our internal studios, we’ll see POP: Revelations as well as a new Splinter Cell title. More info on Splinter Cell will be available shortly on PALGN, I’m sure
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8. One of Ubisoft’s most recognizable characters is Rayman. Is there any news on any future titles involving the French limbless character?
Ubisoft’s flagship character will definitely be returning some time in the not too distant future. After selling over over 15 million games worldwide, it would be hard to keep him down.
It’s interesting how everyone perceives Rayman to be so French! He doesn’t have an accent, wear a beret, or carry a baguette…. Alone in the Dark never had this perception, even though it’s also a French creation! Mind you, France even had Rayman Happy Meal toys at McDonald’s. I guess they hold a special place for him in their hearts.
9. Splinter Cell 4 was recently unveiled with only a sneak peek as to how the series has evolved. Is there anything you can tell us relating to the story, game play or setting?
I know a few screens from SC4 are ‘out there’ by now, and have raised a few questions. Part of the fun working on this title is the mystery. I wouldn’t want to spoil that. I can say that SC4 does take our fans out of their comfort zone by changing the gameplay somewhat. I think SC4 will also bring in new fans to the series. It will get to the core of who Sam Fisher is and what his motives are. Keep watching the website www.bewaresamfisher.com for clues
Splinter Cell 4, A revolutionary change for the series?
10. Finally, of all the upcoming Ubisoft titles which game have you casually spent time with and why?
Casually? I spend a lot of time with most of our games, although I have my favourites. I’ve been avoiding playing too much of Prince of Persia The Two Thrones, so I can enjoy the final version the same as everyone else. I’m still playing Kong so I can unlock all the extra features. Blazing Angels is getting a workout as well.
We’ve been playing Far Cry Instincts multiplayer in the office lately, probably a little too much…
PALGN would like to extend its thanks to Owen Hughes for taking the time to answer our questions. We'll have a review of Gripshift shortly.
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